Continuous cane diffuser



Sept. 1960 A. F. DE LA CALLE 2,953,485

cou'rmuqus CANE DIFFUSER Filed April 28, 1959v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. flA/To/v/o FERN/W00 as m Gums HTTORNfY CONTINUOUS CANE DIFFUSER Antonio'Fernando de la Calle,-Sena 51, 1

Mexico City, DE. 5, Mexico Filed Apr. as, 1959, Set- N 809,446 20 Claims. 01.127 5 This invention relates to apparatus for passing finely cut cane chips disposed in a plurality of baskets or pockets in a multiplicity of cane chip conveyor elements moved through an elongated tank in a direction opposed to the flow of liquid through the tank and in providing means for mixing and agitating the chips in said baskets or .of the elements, as well as discharge of the treated chips from the apparatus.

Still more particularly, the invention deals in an apparatus of the character described employing jack supports, by means of which level and/ or pitch of the tank can be controlled.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of end portions of an apparatus made according to my invention, with 'parts of the construction shown in elevation and broken away.

.Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic enlarged sectional view sub- United States Patent 0 stantially on the line 22 of Fig. l and omitting parts 7 of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale and showing only a part of the construction; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view through one corner portion of the tank, diagrammatically illustrating the admissions to the steam chamber and one of the compressed .air tubes.

In order to maintain the reading of the drawings with the vertical arrangement of the sheet, Fig. 1 illustrates the actual base of the apparatus to the right of the drawing, this being done in compliance with this procedure represent generally end frames, the frame 10, 10' being the righthand frame and the frame 11, 11 being the lefthand frame, as the apparatus is generally viewed.

These frames are joined by horizontal upper and lower frames, indicated, in part, at 12 in Fig. 1 and 13 in Fig. i

2 and, further, crossframe members are employed and "ice indicated at 19, to maintain tension in endlessconveyor chains, diagrammatically seen at 20 in Fig. 2 of the drawing. On endportions of .the shafts 1518 are fixed sprockets 15., 16', 17 and 18, respectively, for

support and drive of the chains 20. The shaft 15 is driven from a suitable motor or other drive, as diagrammatically indicated by the drive shaft 21 in Fig. 1 of the drawing and in dot-dash lines 22 is indicated the drive chainfrom the shaft 21 for drive of the shaft 15.

Supported upon a plurality of transverse base frame members 23 is-an elongated tank 24, having suitable drains, as at 25, with a discharge 26 at one end, suitable means, not shown, being employed to introduce water into the tank for circulation from the end 27 to the discharge end 26. The end portion 27 of the tank includes a curved, apertured false bottom wall 28 which extends upwardly above said end of the tank, as seen at 29. Welded or otherwise secured to the bottom wall of the tank 24, at longitudinally spaced intervals, are transverse semi-circular steam chambers 30 and in part of these chambers are also welded compressed air discharge pipes 31, the latter communicating with a staggered arrangement of apertures. in the bottom wall of the tank, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 3 of the drawing. Considering Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that each of the chambers 30 have a steam admission passage 30 and each of the compressed air tubes 31 communicate with a compressed air supply pipe 33. Suitable means, not shown, are employed to control the supply of compressed air in the use of the apparatus.

Coupled with the chains and transversely spacing the chains 20 are a multiplicity of cells or cane chip conveying elements 34, a few of which are shown in enlarged detail in Fig. 3 of the drawing, and a cross-section throughone of these elements is indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Each element has side walls 35 fixed to links of th chains, as indicated diagrammatically at 36. Welded to the side walls of each element are forward and rear apertured walls 37 and 38, thus producing what might be termed cell-like elements which are open at the top and bottom, as will clearly appear from a consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing. Welded to the walls 37 and 38, at transversely spaced intervals, are partitions 39, note Fig. 2 of the drawing, these partitions dividing each cell or element into a plurality of baskets or pockets 40, into which the cane chips are adapted to pass.

Secured to the side walls 35, adjacent the bottom of each element, as noted in Figs. 2 and 3, is a transverse bafie strip 41, the purpose of which is to induce an upward movement of the chips in each of the pockets 40 in movement of the elements 34 from the discharge end of the tank to the intake end 27 thereof or, in other words, against the flow of water through said tank.

Fixed to and projecting beyond the lower edges of the walls 37 and 38 and the strip 41 are flexible packing or wiper strips 42, which prevent the chips from displacement from the pockets 40 or into the spaces or gaps 43 between adjacent elements 34.

At 44 I have shown a pivoted apertured lid or cover in each of the elements 34pivoted, as seen at 45, adjacent the forward wall 37. 'The several positions of the covers 44 are diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing as they would assume in properly viewing Fig. l with the righthand side of the sheet downward as the apparatus is normally installed.

It will, thus, be noted that, as the elements 34 enter the tank24, the covers 44 are directed upwardly in an 'the covers into their lowest position resting upon the upper edges of the partitions 39, thus confining and retaining the chips within the pockets 40 ata position slightly below the level of water in the tank 24, which level is diagrammatically illustrated by the dot-dash line 24 in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

It will appear, from a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing, that the upper edge of the wall 38 of each element 34 has an extended angularly offset flange 38' to guard against passage of the chips into the gaps or spaces 43.

The delivery or filling station is generally identified by a delivery or feed screw, diagrammatically seen at 47 in Fig. l of the drawing, arranged in an apertured housing 48, into which the chips are deposited from an elevator or other source of supply for delivery into a hopper 49, the lower portion of the hopper having a rotatable paddle feeder 50 controlling the discharge of the chips into a chute 51 for directing the chips into successive elements 34 as they are slowly fed through the tank 24. It will be noted that one wall of the chute 51 is curved or offset at its lower end, as indicated at 52, to insure direction of the chips at all times into the successive elements, while the cover 44 is in its raised position and, after passing the chute, the cover is then deflected by striking the pins 46 and moved into its closed position.

At the right side of the apparatus is what can be termed the discharge station, from which the processed chips are discharged from the apparatus to a suitable dryer, not shown. This station includes a hopper 53, into which the used cane is automatically discharged as the elements move into the raised position around the spocket it being understood that the action of gravity plus the weight of the chips will move the cover 44 into open position and this cover will remain open in passage over the full top part of the apparatus, as diagrammatically seen in Fig. 1.

At the lower portion of the hopper 53 is another feed screw 54 for discharge of the processed cane from the apparatus for conveyance to the drying means, as mentioned above.

Extending longitudinally of the apparatus between the frames 10, 10'; 11, 11' and, at a point raised with respect to the supports 13 and the chains 20, is an eyebeam 55, note Fig. 2 of the drawing. Also considering Fig. 1 of the drawing, it will appear that this eyebeam has its flanges cut away adjacent the chute 51, as noted at 56, in order to provide free passage of the cane chips into the respective pockets 40.

Starting adjacent the chute 51, the upper portion of the tank includes a series of side hoods or covers, as clearly noted at 57 in Fig. 2 of the drawing, these covers being hinged, as indicated at 58, to the eyebeam 55 and include depending outer extremities 59 adapted to rest upon rails 60 welded or otherwise secured to the side walls 24' of the tank 24 and resting upon the frames 13, as clearly noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The rails 60 form supports and guides for the chains in movement of the elements 34 through the tank 24.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that, by providing the apertured forward and rear walls 37 and 38 in each of the elements 34 with all other walls of these elements solid and unperforated, a continuous fiow of water is possible through each of the pockets of the respective elements and, by providing the spaces or gaps 43 between each element 34, the full capacity of the water or prevailing liquid is free to enter into and be discharged from the pockets. As the elements 34 are moved through the tank 24, the intermittent blasts of air under pressure into the tank and the pockets of the respective elements operates to constantly churn the liquid and break-up and agitate the chips to insure a substantially one hundred percent extraction of the sucrose, thereby attaining the highest efliciency possible in producing the resulting end product. It will also be understood that the temperature of the liquid can be definitely controlled by temperatures in the respective steam chambers longitudinally of the tank to again produce the high degree of efficiency desired in use of the apparatus.

I also preferably employ at least four jacks, two at each end of the apparatus to control horizontal position or angularity of the tank. Two, only, of these jacks are diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the jacks 61 representing one of the pair of jacks at the left end of the apparatus and at 62 one of the jacks in the pair at the right end, it being understood that other means of support of the tank can be provided intermediate these end jacks. The end jacks 61, 62 are simultaneously operated through bevelled gearing, as diagrammatically illustrated at 61', 62 so that, in the operation of one of these gearings, the other will be actuated so that, if one end of the tank is raised, the other end of the tank will be automatically lowered. It will appear, from a consideration of Fig. l of the drawing, that the jacks directly operate in conjunction with two of the transverse rails or frames 23.

It will be understood that, by controlling the operation of the delivery station and regulating the speed of drive of the conveyor, including the elements 34 movable therewith, the deposit of the cane chips into the respective pockets 49 of each of the elements 34 can be regulated to prevent overpacking of the pockets and, thus, provide the free and efficient exposure of all of the chips with the solution in promoting a faster and highly eflicient osmose of the sugar in all of the cells or elements. It will also appear that, by upward movement of the elements 34 when discharged from the end 27 of the tank, sufiicient drainage will be provided, so that the treated chips will be substantially free of liquid when deposited into the hopper 53 for transmission to the drying means by action of the feed screw 54.

In order to simplify the showing, wipers which are used at side corner portions of each of the elements are not shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. However, these wipers will extend to a position above the level of water or to the points 42', noted in Fig. 2 of the drawing, so that the elements are substantially sealed in their passage through the tank, without having the end walls 35 of the elements actually contacting the tank, thereby eliminating unnecessary friction or possible jamming.

It is also to be kept in mind that, by utilizing the two pairs of jacks 61, 62, the jacks 62 can be raised when it is desired to increase the flow of liquid through the tank to the discharge, as at 26. The greater the rise of said end of the tank, the faster the flow. By virtue of the interconnection between the jacks, it will be understood that, as one end of the apparatus is raised the other is correspondingly lowered.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for diffusing sugar cane, comprising an endless conveyor having a multiplicity of closely spaced chip conveyor elements, an elongated tank, means for guiding said elements through the tank in a direction opposed to the flow of water therethrough, each element comprising forward and rear apertured walls transversing the tank, means dividing each element into a plurality of transversely spaced pockets, means for delivering cane chips directly into the pockets of said elements at one end portion of the apparatus, means for discharging the processed chips from the elements at the other end portion of the apparatus at a position above and in spaced relation to said tank, means spaced longitudinally of the tank for heating the liquid contents of the tank,

and means spaced longitudinally of the tank for introducing a multiplicity of compressed air discharges into the tank and said elements in passage of said elements through the tank.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein means is provided for maintaining a predetermined level of water circulated through said tank, each of said elements including a pivoted cover supported in raised position in passage of the elements beneath said delivery means, and means adjacent the delivery means for automatically moving the cover into closed position substantially at the line of level of the water in said tank.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein each element includes, at its lower central portion, a raised transverse baffie.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the walls of each element and said bafile include wiper strips operatively engaging the tank.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the second named end of the tank includes a raised curved apertured wall, over which the wipers of said elements pass.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said delivery means comprises a screw for feeding chips into a hopper, a feeder for delivering the chips to a chute, opening into the tank for delivery of the chips into the pockets of said elements,

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the conveyor includes a pair of chains disposed at sides of the apparatus, said chains operatively engaging four pairs of sprockets, two pairs being disposed at each end portion of the apparatus, and means for directly driving one pair of sprockets.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein means is provided for adjusting the axis of another pair of sprockets in maintaining the conveyor in taut position.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the discharge means comprises a hopper arranged over the second named end portion of the tank, and a feed screw for discharging the treated chips from said hopper.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein pairs of jacks are disposed at end portions of said apparatus for adjustably controlling support of the apparatus.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of transverse pairs of hoods are spaced longitudinally of and above the tank intermediate the delivery means and said discharge means.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the heating means comprises a plurality of transverse steam cal-Embers spaced longitudinally of the bottom of said i 13. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said compressed air discharge means comprises a plurality of apertured tubes arranged in predetermined chambers intermediate the first and second named ends of said tank and the bottom wall of the tank having apertures registering with the apertures of said tubes.

14. In a difiusing apparatus of the character described, an elongated tank, through which a liquid is adapted to be circulated in one direction and maintained at predetermined level in said tank, a plurality of product receiving elements arranged in close spaced relationship to each other on a feeding means, means for driving said feeding means to move said elements through said tank in a direction opposed to the fiow of liquid through the tank, each of said elements comprising spaced apertured walls transversing said tank, said walls being joined by side walls, means spaced transversely of each element for partitioning each element into a plurality of pockets, a movable cover at the upper portion of each element, said cover being supported in open position in passage of each element beneath a product delivery station for delivering products to the pockets of each element, and means to lower said cover immediately upon the passage of each element past said delivery station.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein each pocket includes, at its lower portion, a transverse raised baflie wall.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein each element includes a plurality of wipers operatively engaging the Walls of the tank.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein means is provided for heating the liquid in said tank.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein means is provided :for charging the tank at longitudinal and transversely spaced intervals with compressed 19. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said delivery station is disposed at one end portion of,

said tank, a discharge station above the other end portion of the tank, and means comprising transverse pairs of longitudinally spaced hoods forming closures for the tank intermediate said stations.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein means is provided at end portions of said tank for controlling position of the tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR DIFFUSING SUGAR CANE, COMPRISING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR HAVING A MULTIPLICITY OF CLOSELY SPACED CHIP CONVEYOR ELEMENTS, AND ELONGATED TANK, MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID ELEMENTS THROUGH THE TANK IN A DIRECTION OPPOSED TO THE FLOW OF WATER THERETHROUGH, EACH ELEMENT COMPRISING FORWARD AND REAR APERTURED WALLS TRANSVERSING THE TANK, MEANS DIVIDING EACH ELEMENT INTO A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY SPACED POCKETS, MEANS FOR DELIVERING CANE CHIPS DIRECTLY INTO THE POCKETS OF SAID ELEMENTS AT ONE END PORTION OF THE APPARATUS, MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE PROCESSED CHIPS FROM THE ELEMENTS AT THE OTHER END PORTION OF THE APPARATUS AT A POSITION ABOVE AND IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID TANK, MEANS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TANK FOR HEATING THE LIQUID CONTENTS OF THE TANK, AND MEANS SPACED LONGITUDINALLY OF THE TANK FOR INTRODUCING A MULTIPLICITY OF COMPRESSED AIR DISCHARGES INTO THE TANK AND SAID ELEMENTS IN PASSAGE OF SAID ELEMENTS THROUGH THE TANK. 